Fire-escape.



w. P. HAJEKI FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1912.

1,084,737, Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

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W. F. HAJEK.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 7, 1912- 1,084,737. Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

SHEETS-SHEET 2. 3 li 6 1 7 W. F. HAJEK.

v FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED D1107, 1912. 1,084,737. Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

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WILLIAM F. HAJEK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM F. HAJEK, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the numbers of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fire escapes of that class setforth in my prior application for patent for fire escapes, filed on the19th day of August, 1912, Serial No. 715,768, and in which an extensiblefire escape ladder was provided normally concealed within a recess inthe wall adjacent or beneath each window in position to be projectedinto supporting position by the occupant of a room when emergencydemands. In such constructions, where buildings are of considerableheight, the space available beneath or adjacent the window may beinsuflicient to afford convenient storage space for the ladder whenfolded from use, and in consequence, it may occur that a ladder mayprove too short to reach the ground for safety. In such instances it istrue the user of the ladder might, if instructed, enter the lower windowand project the ladder from that floor height if the conditions made thesame pos sible, or might even, if informed, project the ladder from suchlower floor height while supported adjacent thereto on the ladderpreviously brought into use. In times of excitement, however, it isdesirable that in the event of it becoming necessary to use such adevice, a line of escape may be afforded from the topmost story to theground, whereby the occupant may escape from any of the floors of thebuilding.

The object of this invention is to afford a fire escape of the classdescribed whereby the release of the fire escape from any floor willimmediately project the fire escape from all the floors for that line ofwindows or wall openings to afford an avenue of escape from all thefloors.

It is an object of the invention to afford a construction of the utmostsimplicity and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 7, 1912.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914. Serial No. 735,373.

durability, incapable of getting out of order and of such a nature as toconstantly and instantly be ready for use, and whereby the necessity forthe construction of external and permanent fire escapes may be obviated.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in. the drawings, andhereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary inner front view of a deviceembodying my invention, illustrating the same for two story heights.Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken at a right angle with that shownin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail View of the mechanism forsimultaneously releasing all the ladders. Fig. 4 is a section on lineil-4E of Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail illustrating theconnection between the actuating shaft and the releasing shaft. Fig. (3is an enlarged fragmentary detail section showing the ladder storedwithin its recess. Fig. 7 is a similar view, showing the ladderdischarged therefrom and released for use. Fig. 8 is an enlargedfragmentary detail of the ladder. Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentaryedge view of the ladder, showing it closed. l ig. 10 is an enlarged,fragmentary detail of the hinged connection be tween the toggleconnecting links. Fig. 11 an enlarged section on line 11 11 of Fig. (3.Figs. 12 and 13 are enlarged, fragmentary details on line 1212 and 1313of Fig. 6, with parts omitted. Fig. 14: is a fragmentary section of oneof the rods connecting the chains which support the ladder within thewall recess.

As shown in the drawings: Each window for the entire height of thebuilding is provided with an outwardly opening recess therebeneath,which is closed on the inner side by a suitable metallic or other convexcasing 1, rigidly secured to the wall, which projects upwardly to closeagainst or be neath the inner sill of the window. Rigidly secured on theinner face of the wall is an attaching plate 2, which projects upwardlyto partly cover or close the inner end of said recess and secured towhich near each end of the recess are chains or fireproof cables 3,connected at each end in which, at suitable intervals apart, are rods orrounds 1, each provided at its outer end with a roller 5, adapted totravel on the web of an angle bar 6, which are pivoted at their innerends adjacent to the inner end of each recess, as indicated at 7, andare free to swing outwardly as shown in Figs. 7 and 13, when said chainsare drawn outwardly.

Secured on, and depending from the outer most round 4, by means ofchains or fireproof cables 8, is a step or transverse member 9,constructed of light, and relatively narrow channel bars, the flanges ofwhich are turned downwardly and which is much shorter than said wallrecess, and beneath which, and suspended on which at equal intervalsapart, one upon another by means of links or toggle bars 10 and 11, aresimilar steps 9, of a number sufficient to extend at least to the sillof the next succeeding window below that from which the ladder thusformed, extends. Said toggle bars, as shown, are pivotally engagedtogether intermediate the steps or transverse members 9, and theextremity of each is provided with a lip 12, which engages over the backof the next to hold the same in alinement and prevent unnecessarylateral swinging during their use as a ladder. The lowermost oroutermost of said transverse members or steps 9, is secured through themedium of the link depending therefrom, to a weight 13, of a length andwidth adapted to fit in, and close said recess from the outer side, saidweight closing closely beneath the sill and at its lower, relativelythin edge, fitting i'nto a recess in the wall, as shown in Fig. 6. Theupper edge of said weight when so arranged to close the recess, projectsbeyond the line of the building wall so that the same is normally inunstable equilibrium, and an upwardly directed hook 1 1, is provided onthe inner face of said weight near the top thereof near each end of thesame. A tripping lever 15, is pivoted on the wall in each end of saidrecess near the top of the same, and is provided with an outer hookedend adapted to engage the hook 14L, on said weight, and at its inner endprojects beneath a shaft 16, journaled transversely at the inner side ofthe wall and beneath the window ledge or sill, and provided with aneccentric or cam 17, which bears upon said lever and which, when theshaft is rotated, acts to raise the outer end of the lever to releasethe weight. At one extremity said shaft is provided with a bevel gear18, which meshes with a bevel gear 19,

on a vertical shaft 20, which extends for the entire building height-andat each Window isv provided as before described, with a bevel gearentrained to actuate the releasing shaft for the fire escape for thatfloor. Said shaft at a point above each floor, extends through a box 21,closed at its inner side with aglass front 22, through which said shaftmay be seen, and engaged on said Shaft is a ratchet lever 23, accessiblewhen the glass is broken and whereby the shaft may be rotated by theoccupant of the room sufficiently to actuate all the releasing shaftsfor that line of windows to permit the release of the fire escape. Asshown, a shaft 26, ex-

tends transversely said recess or compartment beneath each window, andwell above thechains and channel bars and pivotally engaged at the innerend thereon at each end of the recess, is a slide plate 27, of a lengthto extend to near the outer edge of the wall.

The operation is as follows: The ladders are stored within thecompartment beneath each window by first adjusting the releasing shaft16, to bring the eccentrics out of engagement with said levers and bydrawing inwardly on the chains and rounds and folding the channel bars6, inwardly, as shown in Fig. 6, then telescoping and folding the laddersections, as shown in Figs. 6 and 11, and storing the same in aninclined position upon the slide plates 27. The weight is then drawnupwardly and is seatedtoclose the aperture from the outer side, thetripping lever 14, engaging the hook 13, thereon and positivelysupporting said weight from accidental release. The ratchet lever 23,whereby the main actuating shaft is .employed, is protected frominterference in the box 21, before described. It, however, is instantlyaccessible when emergency demands by the breakage of the glass front ofthe box and the occupant of any of the rooms then seizes the ratchetlever and ro tates the vertical shaft thereby, a quarter turn beingsuflicient to bring the eccentrics on the. tripping shafts intoactuating engagement with the tripping levers to release the weight 13.The weight then being in unstable equilibrium, falls outwardly from thebuilding and in so falling, acts as a lever as it swings outwardly fromthe building to start the outward movement of the ladder, which is thusprojected bodily out of the aperture and is extended by the weight,simultaneously swinging the channel bars 6', outwardly to afford ways toproject the ladder free from the wall. The single operation by theoccupant of the room has thus been sufiicient to project all the laddersfor that line of windows from the top to the bottom of the building,outwardly to afford a continuous line of descent, down which escape mayreadily be effected.

Of course, while I have shown channel bars as affording the steps of theladder, it is to be understood that any suitable form of step may beused, whether in the form of a structural bar'or otherwise, and while Ihave shown chains as employed in a partof the construction, it isunderstood that any fireproof cable or flexible material may be used, itbeing important only to use such material as will not be renderedineffective or useless by fire.

Of course, it is to be understood that details of the construction maybe varied. I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted onthis application otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described a collapsible fire escape ladderretained in a recess in a wall of a building, chains secured to theupper end of said ladder, rollers on said chains, track memberspivotally connected at their ends in said recess and adapted to swingoutwardly with the ends thereof projecting beyond said recess androllers on said chains adapted to track on said pivoted members tofacilitate extension of the ladder into operable position.

2. In a device of the class described a collapsible ladder contained ina recess in the wall of a building, chains at the upper end of saidladder and secured to the wall within recess, rollers on said chains,tracking members for said rollers pivotally mounted at their endsadapted to fold toward one another when in position out of use, a slideplate pivotally mounted above said. track members to receive said foldedladder thereon in inclined position, and a releasing member adapted torelease said folded ladder to permit ejection thereof from said recess,said track members acting to swing outwardly and support said ladderaway from the walls of the building.

3. In a device of the class described a building having recesses in thewalls thereof, collapsible ladders folded therein, a pivoted platesupporting said ladders in said recesses in inclined position, aweighted closure for the outer side of each recess, means retaining saidweighted closure in position with the ladder within the recess, trackingmembers pivoted beneath said pivoted plate, and mechanisms adapted toactuate said means for said closure to permit the same to fall outwardlyto extend the ladder, said tracking members adapted to be swungoutwardly to support said extended ladder away from the walls of thebuildin I. In a device of the class described a fold able ladder, achain securing the same with in a recess in the walls of a building,rollers on said chain, pivotally mounted angle irons adapted to foldinwardly toward one another within said recess when out of use, apivoted plate for supporting said ladder in inclined position above saidtrack members, and means releasing said ladder to extended position,said tracking members swinging outwardly to support the chain andmaintain the ladder in a position away from the building.

5. In a device of the class described a pivoted plate contained within arecess in a building, a foldable ladder mounted thereon, a weightattached to the lower end of said ladder and adapted to close the recessin said building, a lever actuatable from the interior of the buildingadapted to retain said closure in place, a chain securing the inner endof said ladder within the recess in said building, and foldable trackingelements, one on each side of the recess, adapted to unfold when saidladder is extended to afford tracking means for said chain and supportsaid ladder in extended position away from the walls of the building.

6. In a device of the class described a col lapsible ladder contained ina recess in the walls of a building, a pivoted plate adapted to supportthe same therein in inclined position to facilitate projection thereoffrom said recess, a weight attached to the outer end of said ladder andserving to close the recess in the wall of said building, meansreleasing said weight to automatically extend said ladder, and trackingmeans pivotally mounted beneath said pivoted plate and adapted to swingoutwardly beyond. the walls of the building to maintain said ladderspaced therefrom when in extended position.

7. In a device of the class described a plurality of simultaneouslyactuatable and cooperative ladder sections, each one comprising afoldable ladder, chains securely connecting the same with a building,and pivoted means, one for each of said ladder chains adapted to swingoutwardly away from one another to guide said chains and to support saidladder sections away from the building.

8. In a device of the class described a col lapsible ladder concealed ina recess in the wall of a building, a weight on the end thereofaffording a closure for said recess, a plate supporting said ladder infolded position inclined within said recess, a chain connecting theinner end of said ladder with the walls of the building, rollers on saidchain, foldable tracking means for said rollers to support said ladderin extended position away from the walls of a building, and cam actuatedreleasing means for said weighted closure which, when actuated, permitsthe gravitational extension of said ladder.

9. In a device of the class described a foldable ladder concealed in arecess in a wall of a building, chains connecting said ladder to thebuilding within said recess, rollers on said chains, and a plurality ofpivotally mounted track members within said recess adapted to receivesaid rollers when the ladder is extended, and serving to maintain thesame projected away from the wall of the building in such position.

10. In a device of the class described a ladder comprising rungs,hingedly connected side members supporting the same, and adapting thesame to be folded in close relation with one another, pivoted meanssupporting the ladder in inclined position in a In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto recess in the Wall of: a building, a pivoted subscribed myname in the presence of two lever adapted to hold said ladder withinsubscribing: Witnesses.

said recess, a rotatable shaft adjacent said WILLIAM F. HAJEK. 5; lever,and a cam thereon adapted to contact Witnesses:

said lever to actuate the same into releasing CHARLES W. HILLS, Jn,

posit-ion when said shaft is rotated. GEORGE E. MOORE.

( Ionics of this patent may be obtained 01 five cents each, by,addressing the Gqmmiraioner of Eatents, Washington, D. G.

